The National tribune., 1887-12-29
The TMentr.third Corps at Kinston. \. c.


been a reader of THE NATIONAL TRIBUNE l
have seen nothing in it concerning the battle at
Kinston, or Wise's Fork, n. G. / shall not
attempt to give full and succinct account of
the battle in this article, leaving that for ADLER
pens.
shall only write mainly of the part played
by the First Brigade, First Division, Twenty
third Corps, composed at that time of the 120th,
I24th and 126th Ind, known throughout their
term of service as Hovey's Babies"
am moved to do this the more from the fact
that in Carlin's and Carleton's' accounts OF
the Atlanta campaign they are either utterly
ignored Or placed somewhere where they were
not.
In his account of the battle of Resaca please
pardon the digresson), Carleton leaves this
brigade guarding the wagon train at the mouth
of Snake Creek Gap, while Gen. HOvey would
attest that they were holly engaged in the bat
tie of Resaca. Again, at the crossing OF the
Chattahooche River at the mouth of Soap
Creek the same writer says the 18th KY, in
the pontoon boats shot out of the mouth of
Soap Creek and captured battery on the south
side of the river"
The facts in the case are that it was the 120th
Ind that crossed over in the pontoon boats be-
fore the bridge was laid. l claim that we were
the first troops that crossed the ChattahOoche,
at the mouth of Soap Creek, the writer being
in one of the first boats that landed on the
southern Shore
will only add that the Babies" were faith
full, valiant and brave soldiers, and performed
every duty assigned them throughout that
campaign, and proved an important factor in
the humiliation of Hoods army at Nashville
and Franklin during Hoods raid into Tonnes
see. After the battle of Nashville they were
transferred to the Department of North Caro-
lima, the corps being divided-the First DiVls-
ion landed at Morehead City Feb. 81, 1865; the
Second and Third Divisions landing at Fort
Fisher few days prior, to be reunited at or
near Kinston.
The First Division moved up the North Caro-
lima & Atlantic Railroad by easy marches, ex-
cept for the terrible roads through the slougghss
and marshes, many of FFhioh we had to cordu-
roy IN order to get the artillery and wagon
train across, until the 9Th of March found US
perhaps three miles from Kinston and short
distance from where the battle was fought.
During the afternoon Of the 9Th, while some
Massachusetts troops were out accommodating,
they were attacked by the rebels under Gen.
Bragg, driven back, and quite number of them
given transportation for Salisbury. Bragg,
seeing the corps divided, adopted his usual tao
tics, of crushing the First Division, then, with
his army flushed with victory, to turn on the
Second and Third Divisions in detail before
they could be united; but in this, as on some
other occasions, he reckoned without his host
The First Division was Immediately called
foe. Soon we began to meet the straggers and
wounded men, and their account of the enter
tainment down at the front was not conducive
to the encouragement of man that had any
conscientious scruples against dying for his
country.
We formed line of battle with the First Bril-
gade in front, 124th Ind, Col. Nef on the right;
10th Ind Col. Prather, CENTER and 126th Ind,
! Col. Packard left, with the 180th Ohio as re-
serve, and moved thus in line of battle through
| heavy thicket or underground to the banks
/ of a creek. The water was about % feet wide,
and averaged waist Deep We were ordered to
| lie down on the banks of the creek, under fire
| of the enemy, and lost several men while IN
| this position, but did not fire on the rebs.
Night soon came on, and the firing ceased for
! the day, when We proceeded at once to fortify
ourselves in readiness for the conflict which we
knew must come. During the night we erected
! an excellent line of works. Nothing of impor-
tance transpired during the 9th, except picket
firing, until about 9 O'Clock at night.
The Johnnies then attacked our posts, which
were strongly fortified. During this charge
the commander of the picket-line met with an
amusing mishap. Lieut-Col. Kise, of the
120th Ind, was in command of the line. The
ground in our immediate front had once been 9
rebel camp and there was quite a number OF
shallow wells scattered over it. While Col
Kise was running from point to point to en-
courage and cheer up his men, he fell into one
of these wells, and was held prisoner unit
the rebs were driven back and the men came tc
| his relief.
On the 10th Bragg conceived another bril-
liant idea, which, if successful, would hay'
ended the matter in short meter. The right o
the 124th commanded by Lieut.-Col. Nef, la.
on a swamp which seemed to be impossible
and extended back to the Neuse River. Bragg
plan was to mass his troops on the left of TIL
division, crush and turn our left flank, double
our lines back on the swamp and river, anC
make prisoners of the entire lot. But Will
he was massing his troops on his right for tina
purpose, Schofeld was massing and ambuscad
ing his troops and batteries to meet the charge
We could see the rebel columns move out 70
the charge On they came fearlessly to NEE
their fate. When within close range the artil
lery opened with canister, and compact mas
of infantry, with deadly aim, poured wolfe
after volley into their ranks, moving then
down like grass before the scythe.
| They were compelled to retire in great dis
order, leaving their dead and wounded behind
) They Immediately recovered, and charged til
J First Brigade on the right, which had been s
T weakened to send reinforcements to the lef
that we could only touch the next man TO us
3 arms length. They charged with desperat
9 determination to the creek, within few fee
of our works. but the Babies !" with undaunte
/. courage stood firm to their works, and til
g Johnnies were forced to retreat the second tim
2 As they retreated, Col. Orr commanding til
! brigade, ordered us to charge them in returI
t To climb over our works, ford the creek an
form our line on the other side was but th
q work of moment, and with splendid line "
: made the charge, every man doing his dut
Q nobly We had driven them nearly half mil
4 and the 120th had captured about so prisoner
: with many more ia our front ready to surrel
? der, when we discovered that we were bein
! fanked. Owing to the swamp fallen timbt
and thick underbrush in front of the 12St
q Ind they were unable to get out in time
d support our left flank, and the rebels can
& pouring in between us and our works.
q Now, do not claim for our flag that it W;
/ the first on all the forts and courthouses but
9 do know, that just at this particular time v
:, well-nigh placed it in the rebels hands.
i The left of the regiment had fallen bac
q changing front to left to prevent our being CT
9 off from the works, and the flag bearer hG
g borne the flag somewhat to the front, not beir
apprised Of the close proximity of the rebel
Is Co.'S and made rush for the fiag and wei
y nigh got into hand-to-h hand conflict to sa'
e it, but finally succeeded in carrying it safe
l. back to the works.
q Again the rebels charged up TO our works, b
the Babies +" were too much for them and Il
le third time they were repulsed with conside
~ able loss. Their next expedient was to shell
II out, but owing to slight elevation in our fro
80 they could not depress their guns enough to
US serious damage, though the fire was qui
II